Agencies launch Web site for women-owned businesses

The U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor have announced the launch of www.women-21.gov, a Web site designed to help women small-business owners.

The Web site is an outgrowth of Women Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century, a series of women's summits that discussed the increasing role of women in the American economy and their concerns about roadblocks to growth, long-term viability and financial health.

The Web site features up-to-date information on key issues for women entrepreneurs, including:

access to capital;

health care for small businesses;

government procurement and contracting opportunities;

retirement security; and

technology.

Women owned businesses are producing more jobs for American workers, with their numbers growing at twice the rate of all U.S. businesses, according to the SBA. There are 9.1 million women-owned businesses, which account for 38 percent of all businesses, employ 217.5 million workers and generate $3.6 billion in revenues.

"No business group in America is moving faster or more efficiently than women-owned businesses. But navigating the government's information network is one of the hardest things a business owner has to do, and even the fastest-moving businesses need to stop and ask for directions now and then," said SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto. "Now, when women entrepreneurs want to stop and ask for directions they can make one stop.